África Subsaariana

Communities at war over land disputes in Nigeria

Published in Monday March 18th, 2013 In In the media

Two communities have been at war for over five decades over a farmland between the them with the crisis claiming several lives and several others injured. Since the recent hostilities in the area, lives have been lost while several properties worth billions of naira have been destroyed. Early this year, about 13 Adadama people, both men and women including children were reportedly murdered, while some had their heads cut off as a result of the farmland dispute.

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Why Are We Funding Abuse in Ethiopia?

Published in Monday March 18th, 2013 In Opinion

In 2010, the Ethiopian government began moving thousands of people out of the rural villages where they had lived for centuries to other areas several hours’ walk away. The Ethiopian government calls this program the “Commune Center Development Plan and Livelihood Strategy” and claims it is designed to bring scattered rural populations closer to schools, health clinics, roads, and other public services. But the Commune Center program has been marked by a string of human rights abuses linked to government attempts to clear huge tracts of land for foreign investors. According to testimony collected by Human Rights Watch and other groups over the past two years, the relocations have involved beatings, imprisonment, torture, rape, and even murder. In many of the new “villages” the program has created, the promised services do not exist. Deprived of the farms, rivers, and forests that once provided their livelihoods, many people fear starvation, and thousands have fled to refugee camps in Kenya and South Sudan.

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Rural Zimbabweans struggle to cope with flooding

Published in Friday March 15th, 2013 In In the media

Local people expect rains in November and December. But this year, they experienced floods in late January and February – traditionally months when they prepare for harvest. And rural communities may not yet have seen an end to their losses. At the beginning of March, the country’s meteorological service warned that more heavy rains were expected late into the month.

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Press briefing notes: Hungary, Thailand/Rohingyas and Kenya

Published in Friday March 15th, 2013 In In the media

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville Location: Geneva Date: 15 March 2013 1) Hungary We are concerned about the swift adoption of the most recent amendment to the Fundamental Law (Constitution) by the Hungarian Parliament on 11 March 2013. The amendment was passed without proper public discussion on issues that […]

Stop all forced evictions in Badia East, Lagos (Nigeria)

Published in Thursday March 14th, 2013 In Mobilisation and agenda

As we speak hundreds of people are being forcibly evicted from their homes in Badia East Lagos, Nigeria. Thousands more families are at risk of eviction. Take action and tell the Lagos state governor to stop the evictions now. Click here to help!

Villagers threatened with eviction

Published in Wednesday March 13th, 2013 In In the media

Resettled villagers in the Chitora area of Ward 1 in Shurugwi North are set to lose their farmland and livelihoods over their political affiliation. The area is home to hundreds of people given the relatively fertile farmland by the government. However, according to sources, MDC members have been threatened with eviction by their rivals in Zanu (PF).

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Lagos, Nigeria: Where housing is a luxury

Published in Wednesday March 13th, 2013 In Social movement news

Lagos has over 10 million inhabitants – most of whom are constantly struggling for adequate housing. With an ever-increasing population, a decent place to live has become a luxury for Lagos’s poor majority. Click here to watch a newsclip from YouTube featuring Friday Ogunyemi and the aftermath of the forced eviction.

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Restituting the land to the Endorois People: a 40-year process

Published in Saturday March 9th, 2013 In Social movement news

In November 2012, members of the Adjudication Working Group at ESCR-Net facilitated a strategic meeting with leaders of the Endorois community in Kenya, focused on advancing full implementation of the unprecedented recommendations issued by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights regarding the evictions. The meeting brought together human rights lawyers, activists, and academics from Kenya, South Africa and the US with expertise on enforcement of court decisions.

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The right to adequate housing for women is crucial for the effectiveness of other rights – Newsletter #32

Published in Friday March 8th, 2013

The Special Rapporteur seizes the opportunity on this March 8th to reaffirm that the guarantee of the right to adequate housing for women is crucial for the effectiveness of other rights and for the promotion of autonomy in every sphere of their lives.

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Sierra Leone’s statement on the security of tenure report

Published in Thursday March 7th, 2013

Read Sierra Leone’s statement regarding the presentation given by the Special Rapporteur about her thematic and mission reports on March 4th, during the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council.